Final answer:
The "contraband acts" referred to policies around escaped slaves during the Civil War, who were used as labor but eventually contributed to the Union's cause, especially after the Emancipation Proclamation. Over 190,000 African Americans served in the Union army, fighting for freedom and influencing the war's focus on emancipation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Contraband Acts and African American Advancement during the Civil War
The term "contraband acts" during the US Civil War refers to policies that dealt with escaped enslaved Africans who sought refuge with Union forces. These individuals were called "contrabands of war" by Union General Benjamin Butler. The First Confiscation Act was passed by Congress to affirm Butler's policy, which, while not granting complete freedom, rendered the previous owners' claims null. Being labeled as contraband provided a route to potential freedom for the enslaved, and thousands took hold of this opportunity.
During the war, contrabands initially provided manual labor to the Union forces, such as building fortifications and cooking meals. However, following the Emancipation Proclamation, African American men, both freed and escaped slaves, were enrolled as soldiers in the Union army. By the end of the Civil War, over 190,000 African Americans had served. While many were relegated to labor due to prevailing racism, their service was instrumental in advancing the cause of liberation and placing pressure on the government to address the issue of slavery, ultimately contributing to their own emancipation and the broader African American Civil Rights Movement.
These acts by African Americans during the Civil War played a crucial role in making the conflict about freedom and emancipation, as they proactively sought to fight for the Union and forced the federal government to confront the fundamental issue of slavery. Their involvement evolved from performing laborious tasks to taking up arms and fighting for their own freedom and the end of slavery.